The invention generally relates to mirrors, and relates in particular to mirrors and methods of constructing mirrors for use in motor systems such as in limited rotation motor systems and continuous rotation motor systems.
Mirror materials for limited rotation motors (such as galvanometers) have traditionally been chosen from available hard, polished or easily polishable natural materials. For example, mirrors have long been formed of a wide variety of materials, including for example, ice, copper, bronze, obsidian and silver, as well as coated or plated materials such as silver coated glass, mangin coated glass, and rhodium coated electro-formed metals. The use of a coating permits a different material to be used for the structural component of a mirror while the reflective surface is formed of another material (or composite).
For certain applications, however, such as for use with limited rotation motors, conventional coated glass mirrors do not provide sufficient stiffness or low enough density for some applications. Beryllium and silicon carbide are known to be suitable for use as mirror materials in galvanometers, but each suffers from certain drawbacks. Beryllium is generally expensive and difficult to process by grinding and polishing, and further has become disfavored in view of it being a possibly toxic material. Silicon carbide is also generally expensive and difficult to process by grinding and polishing.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved mirror material and method of making an improved mirror for use in limited rotation motor systems.